Sight and Sound - 10/01/2004
"[A] rigorously argued portion of investigative journalism that hits the spot, served up with a smile by Spurlock..."

Product Description:

In this hilarious yet informative documentary, debut director Morgan Spurlock makes himself the victim of a cruel experiment: he puts himself on a 30-day diet of nothing but McDonald's food. Eating three meals a day exclusively from McDonald's, Spurlock's health quickly deteriorates. The film documents the process from beginning to end, with Spurlock and his doctors making observations and monitoring the changes to his energy level, moods, liver and kidney function, and obviously his weight. As viewers might predict, Spurlock gains weight at an alarming rate, and during this process he offers a shocking lesson about the serious problem of obesity in America. Clearly McDonald's receives the brunt of the blame, as Spurlock shows how the fast-food restaurant directs its advertising at small children, who are converted into faithful consumers of the brand--and its free toy giveaways, bright colors, and Ronald McDonald clown--for life. Spurlock also examines the quality of the food itself, showing the processes by which favorite products like McNuggets are made. He also shows the proliferation of McDonald's chains both in the U.S. and worldwide. Meanwhile, Spurlock's girlfriend--a vegan chef--observes Spurlock's experiment with disgust and disdain, providing one of many comic elements to the film. Educational, fun, and at times downright gross, SUPER SIZE ME takes a different approach to illustrating America's obsession with fast food.